Elephant rolls car...

[GI Jane]

What is it that we don't get about animals and the warning signs that they give us when we are invading their space and annoying them?....

http://www.news24.com/Travel/Multimedia ... r-20140113" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GI Jane]

So, very, very, sad the elephant was put down. I wonder if the parks board saw the video clip before putting the animal down.

[GI Jane]

So the question is, is the Kruger Park a sanctuary for our wildlife or for the careless human beings that populate the earth?

http://www.news24.com/Travel/South-Afri ... s-20140113" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Obelix and Dogmatix]

Seems like some people DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE WILD!!!!!!!!

Reminds me of when i was playing tour guide and had a customer from the far east. as we drove through the Kruger came across a bull elephant very similar senario, (but i kept my distance) after a couple of minutes he wanted me to pass!!! No way!!! and why would you want to?

By the way elephants are also a good excuse to get out of Pilansberg late if you miss the gate times.

If you do not understand the wild don't take chance or at least go with someone that knows what is going on.

sorry I know preaching to the converted :evil:

[george]

I was wondering.Do you get some information on how to act in the KNP when you enter?

[GI Jane]

I think that it would be helpful if there was some type of information available about wildlife behaviour at the gate of all National Parks that people need to read and then sign to say that they have read and understand the information. If they don't sign they don't go in. Possibly a training centre before the gate so that ignorant humans have some type of training about how NOT to endanger the life of our precious wildlife.

I know Thys, can hear you saying ,"Breathe, Val Breathe," :!: :!: :!: :!:

[Thunder02]

And now they use the crap story that the Elli has attacked other vehicles before to justify it been put down :x :x :x :evil:


The fact of the matter is that they have no control of who goes in and what they get up to in the park. Should not be self drive anymore but guided tours.

[Danman]

We saw a tourist in Pilanesberg once that got out of his combi(with the tripod) and ran after an elli to get a better shot.
Elli turned around and chased him back into the combi(combi sustained minor damage).
A park official saw the whole thing and immediately escorted the tourist out of the park and I later learned that he was fined.

People don't read the fine print on the permit that gets issued at the gate.
Not sure if sanparks has same rules and fines. If they do then it should just be enforced.....and the ellies can roam in peace.

[kfxnando]

To me the biggest thing about this is that the elephant paid the ultimate price for mankind's stupidity again!!!

we as humans are screwing up the planet and when things go wrong we still want to blame mother nature

:evil: :evil:

[Hilux 1]

as if there is so many left that they can be put down sommer when ever????

[Hilux 1]

and anyway the moment that Eli gave way to the side of the road I would have been outa there like lightning

[Haboob]

Looking for a job at Sanparks to cull the tourists.

[george]

Here is a good article I think.

http://www.rapport.co.za/Suid-Afrika/Nu ... y-20140118

Olifante: As jy hier kan lees, is jy te naby
2014-01-18 23:36

Artikelopsies
Deel
Kry Rapport op

Lesersfoto’s Stuur vir ons jou foto's · Stuur vir ons jou foto's

Claudi Mailovich

As jy nader as 13 Volks­wagen Polo’s se lengte aan ’n olifant kom, is jy te naby.

Daar moet minstens 50 m tussen jou voertuig en die dier wees as jy heeltemal veilig wil wees, het dr. Yolanda Pretorius, ’n olifantkenner verbonde aan die Universiteit van Pretoria, die afgelope week aan Rapport gesê. Enigiets nader is moeilikheid soek, het Pretorius gesê.

Min mense weet dit.

’n Video van ’n bronstige olifantbul wat ’n donkerblou Polo tientalle meters ver rol, het die afgelope week opslae gemaak.

Dit is wyd gekyk en die meeste kommentators op sosiale forums meen die olifant is óf uitgetart óf die twee passasiers het nie die gevaartekens raakgesien nie.

’n Suid-Afrikaner, Jans de Klerk, en sy Britse verloofde, Sarah Brooks, was in die motor wat bitter naby aan die olifant gery het.

Isaac Phaahla, SANParke se woordvoerder, sê dit is een van drie voorvalle sedert 2013 waar olifante toeriste se motors erg beskadig het.

“Ek dink hierdie soort voorval kan selfs méér in die toekoms voorkom,” sê Pretorius.

“TV-reekse op Animal Planet en Discovery Channelwek ’n wanindruk by mense. Hierdie is wilde olifante, nie ’n elephant back safari nie.”

Brooks is in die aanval beseer.

Daar was hewige openbare teenkanting toe die olifant later van kant gemaak is.

Abe Sibiya, uitvoerende bestuurder van die Krugerwildtuin, het in ’n verklaring gesê toeriste moet hul gedrag gedurende sulke selfbestuurritte verander.

Phaahla het gister aan Rapport gesê geen stappe sal teen De Klerk-hulle geneem word nie omdat hulle uit onkunde opgetree het. Hul trauma was reeds genoeg van ’n straf.

Gewoonlik sal SANParke onverantwoordelike toeriste óf beboet óf die wildtuin belet.

“Die boete sal grootliks van die oortreding afhang, maar dit behoort tussen R1 000 en ­­R10 000 wees,” sê Phaahla.

Na aanleiding van die video het foto’s van ander mense wat kanse waag met olifante die rondes op sosiale netwerke gedoen.

Op een so ’n foto hang ’n vrou en haar kind by hul motor se venster uit om ’n gevaarlike foto-geleentheid te “benut” van ’n reus reg langs hul motor.

Phaahla self vertel van ’n man wat ’n olifant verlede jaar met sy bakkie uitgedaag het.

Hy is toe die wildtuin verbied.

* Pretorius se raad is om die motor op ’n veilige afstand af te skakel en te wag tot die olifant rustig uit die pad beweeg het.

Sonder om die klippe te laat spat moet jy dan kalm, maar so vinnig moontlik wegkom.

Sy het benadruk ’n mens moenie kanse met dié reuse vat nie.

Die olifant bestorm die Polo...


Só lyk die Polo ná die onderonsie met die olifant.

[Family_Dog]

Sadly the elephant was shot after this episode. I think they should have shot the tourists instead. Plain stupidity. :evil:


-F_D

[kfxnando]

Sadly the elephant was shot after this episode. I think they should have shot the tourists instead. Plain stupidity. :evil:


-F_D

Looking for a job at Sanparks to cull the tourists.

will load that amo free of charge
will make them special anti stupidity loads

[Dingo]

This poor elephant lost it's life purely because of human ignorance - that driver MADE ABSOLUTELY NO attempt to avoid this situation, when that ellie turned around to face him all he needed to do was reverse a couple of meters and all would've been diffused. Also the c**p story that SANParks gave about it being in muske and a danger, that ellie was merely cruising down the road and in no danger to anyone.

What I want to know is: Did SANParks actually shoot the so called "right ellie"??????? by the time anyone reacted to this incident, landed a chopper, mobilised any rangers, etc etc that ellie was long gone. They can't tell me that they identified the ellie correctly from the video either.

I sent SANParks, William Mabasa, a proposal sometime back and resent the e-mail again after this, basically - they should review the public entering the parks and test the basic knowledge, ie. Wildcards should have a basic 10min questionnaire online and if you answer correct then you get issued a wildcard and gain unquestioned entrance to the parks. If you don't have a wildcard, ie Tourists, then you have to go thru some kinda induction course (similar idea to when you go onto a mine or large industry site) at the gate before allowing entrance.

Even these "Tour guides" need to go thru regular testing and the drivers must carry a valid permit.

My attitude is: If you don't like it and/or don't want to do the test/questionnaire - then find somewhere else to go or stay at home.

[Skilpad4X4]

Ons was die afgelope Desembermaand in Addo waar ons hierdie voertuig gesien het. Hy het vorentoe, agtertoe..... gery en toe baie naby aan die olifante verby!! Verstaan nie hoe kan 'n mens die natuur so tart nie!! Sou die olifant omdraai en iets doen, wie se skuld is dit? Seker die olifant s'n...... . Wil darem ook net bylas, die Addo het geblom!! Plantegroei was welig en vol blomme en die diere was nie skaam nie!! Olifante in Addo bly fantasties om te sien

[ChrisF]

Reminds me of when i was playing tour guide and had a customer from the far east. as we drove through the Kruger came across a bull elephant very similar senario, (but i kept my distance) after a couple of minutes he wanted me to pass!!! No way!!! and why would you want to?

A friend is a professional guide, and has been so for nearly 20 years.

Sure you will have your fair share of horror stories to add to his ...


best one is a safari vehicle out on the plains - picture the scene:
- water hole
- springbok ...
- Lions in the distant shade
- over a period of 20 minutes you could see the lions taking position for the kill


and the guest pipes up: "We MUST leave now, we dont want to miss our sun downer cocktails !!" Brief check, and the majority agrees .....


WHY do some people even bother going to a Park ????????????

[Harold]

Picture the scene:
Tourist vehicle with a bank of seats and a full complement of passengers suitably attired in the latest Safari gear, had stopped to watch a group of elephant having a fun time in a muddy puddle. About 150 metres further down the road is a large tusker standing in the road.
Tucked in close behind the tourist vehicle is sleek silver BMW and I stop about two car lengths behind the BM.

This is when the tusker decides to start walking purposely down the road towards us.
Driver of the tourist vehicle decided it’s time to move back; no doubt checked side mirrors but did not see the BMW plumb centre behind. I decide to back off to the left to make room for them. Driver of the BMW is oblivious to what is happening as he cannot see the elephant coming down the road. Driver of the tour vehicle sees I have made room and begins reversing – crashing into the front of the BMW.

Drivers of the tourist vehicle jumps out and at the same time the very irate driver of the BMW emerges ready to ‘bliksem’ the idiot that crashed into his car. The driver of the tour group is a very pretty shapely young lass who bursts in to tears. The BM driver’s belligerence quickly changes to one of gentlemanly compassion and with his arm her shoulder produces a large white handkerchief to wipe away her tears. The tourists on board are becoming agitated at the elephant that is now closer than ever and they call for their driver to get them away. Decisions are quickly made and both the BMW and the tour vehicle reverse past me to discuss the matter somewhere else.

Now I’m alone with a large elephant who had stopped to watch the mayhem he has caused. He is now within spitting distance from me. At no time during the event had the elephant shown any agro body language so I decided to remain very quiet and wait. He looked at me and I pretended I did not exist. After a while he came on towards me but moved off the road on the opposite side to leisurely chew at a thorn bush and I took a few photos and began talking to it.
A while later a car came along and tried to horn in on our tête–à–tête. This annoyed the elephant and it moved aggressively towards the car which left in a hurry and he went back to finish off the meal then slowly wandered off to join the group at the muddy puddle.

It was a memorable experience.

[Family_Dog]

Experience of a lifetime, Harold. I would have needed a change of clothing had it been me, however! ;)


-F_D

[Mikie]

http://blog.africageographic.com/africa ... eo-takers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They claim it wasnt their fault

[Harold]

SANP should have the video showing at every reception office, maybe visitors would take note and be more aware of the dangers of elephant. Most visitors have had no experience with African wildlife, particularly elephant.

A great sadness that it was shot, it did not deserve to die.

[LouisZ]

There was plenty of time for them to reverse. If they did not that warning the Oupoot gave them next to them they had a front escape aswell.

Last year we saw similar toooo nearby cars to elephants. 3 years ago my dad had a experience also with such a big one, lucky for us we saw the big ears and we both started to reverse for a long distance to make room for it.

[Obelix and Dogmatix]

Mike here is the comment i left after reading your link.

Sorry for the caps but, and if i have a fight with the wife tonight it would be that my blood is still boiling from reading the article.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! IF SAY PERSON DRIVING THE POLO WAS SAY IN A PUB IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD AND A PERSON TWICE HIS SIZE COMES AT HIM WOULD HE THEN CLAIM IGNORANCE???? WAKE UP WORLD OF PRO LIFERS (HUMAN) SO HOW COULD YOU SAY I DID NOT KNOW!!!! THE ELEPHANT IS 4 TIMES THE SIZE OF THAT POLO!!! COMMON SENSE SHOULD PREVAIL. MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER (AT THE TIME) GETS SCARED WHEN THE ELEPHANTS ARE 20m AWAY SO HOW STUPID ARE THESE PEOPLE!!!! EVERY PERSON THAT HAS SPOKEN UP FOR THE IDIOTS, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC AND MAGESTIC AFRICAN BUSH AND THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE THERE, AS YOU WOULD MOST PROBABLY JUST CAUSE THE DEATH OF MORE ANIMALS IN OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!!!

WARNING LABELS should be removed from all dangerous products and the stupid will take care of themselves!!

[4x4BEES]

Mike here is the comment i left after reading your link.

Sorry for the caps but, and if i have a fight with the wife tonight it would be that my blood is still boiling from reading the article.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! IF SAY PERSON DRIVING THE POLO WAS SAY IN A PUB IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD AND A PERSON TWICE HIS SIZE COMES AT HIM WOULD HE THEN CLAIM IGNORANCE???? WAKE UP WORLD OF PRO LIFERS (HUMAN) SO HOW COULD YOU SAY I DID NOT KNOW!!!! THE ELEPHANT IS 4 TIMES THE SIZE OF THAT POLO!!! COMMON SENSE SHOULD PREVAIL. MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER (AT THE TIME) GETS SCARED WHEN THE ELEPHANTS ARE 20m AWAY SO HOW STUPID ARE THESE PEOPLE!!!! EVERY PERSON THAT HAS SPOKEN UP FOR THE IDIOTS, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC AND MAGESTIC AFRICAN BUSH AND THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE THERE, AS YOU WOULD MOST PROBABLY JUST CAUSE THE DEATH OF MORE ANIMALS IN OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!!!

WARNING LABELS should be removed from all dangerous products and the stupid will take care of themselves!!

Never a truer word spoken

[Mikie]

Fully agree with you Quentin, they are idiots, and only make excuses for their stupid behaviour.

I must however agree about the others leaving them there, sure back away but when its all over at least go help the idiots

[4x4BEES]

"Sarah Brooks, a 30-year-old science teacher fromLincolnshire"

"I completely freaked. I wasn’t used to the car. The gears were on a different side."


Isn't that in England? Where they drive on the same side of the road as us.

[Wendell]

Sent from my GT-P5200 using Tapatalk

[Obelix and Dogmatix]

I like the way Wendell thinks

[Mikie]

"Sarah Brooks, a 30-year-old science teacher fromLincolnshire"

"I completely freaked. I wasn’t used to the car. The gears were on a different side."


Isn't that in England? Where they drive on the same side of the road as us.

Thats right